So I'm going back for another college program this fall but I really want a PI for the spring. I have a lot of questions so I hope some people here have done an event planning PI! I might apply for some other PIs but I'm mostly looking at the alumni only event planning PIs.
-One thing is that I'm not arriving until September but I wanted to try to meet people and/or talk to my managers about wanting to stay. but since they probably won't make decisions until months after applications open I should still be able to?
-I'm not sure of what my final gpa is yet but I'm worried it won't be very good. is it very important for the event planning ones if they don't have a requirement?
-I have an event planning internship this summer which is already helping a lot also showed my supervisor the PI descriptions so I hope that helps but also will they look at letters of recommendation?
-would taking a certain Disney class on my program help?
-has anyone done the park event, housing events, or cast events PI?
I worked in College Housing on my PI, I was in Yield Management, but I worked closely with the events team (housing events for the CP's). Lets see if I can answer your questions.
-If you're wanting to extend into a PI, it is important to let your managers know. However, there is a right and wrong way to do this. The best way to let your managers know, is to first go through your training and spend a coupe weeks on your own. This lets them get an idea of your work ethic and who you are as a person. Talk to them before or after your shift, ask to set up a 1:1. During this time, let them know of your goals and aspirations. They are your best chance of extending. They will know the "who's who" and can out you in touch with the best people. The thing to remember is open communication. If you start doing things without letting your leader know, it doesn't reflect we'll on you. If you are interested in a housing events PI, when you are on your program, go to the events, talk to the current event interns, get a better understanding of what they do, schedule a 1:1 with the events manager, not an interview per se, rather a "meet and greet ". If you are wanting to get involved with events outside of housing, this manager will know who to put you in touch with.
-depends on what your actual GPA is. If you are borderline academic probation, you may want to be concerned. Ideally you'll want to be around a 3.0. However, GPA isn't the only thing that they are looking for. Is the low GPA a result of electives, or degree essential courses? A C in "music appreciation" is much better than a C in "Event Panning Management." Do you possess the skills they need? Can you perform under stress, under tight deadlines? Event planning revolves around knowing how to network, work as a part of a team, and be able to anticipate the unexpected, and knowing the precise needs of the client and being able to meet or exceed their expectations.
-Letters of recommendation aren't really reviewed. Hundreds, if not thousands of people apply for these PI's. Decisions need to be made quickly, you need to be able to sell yourself effectively in two 30 minute interviews. For most roles, that's all you get, very few go into a third round of interviews.
-Again, I didn't personally work in Housing events, but I worked closely with their team. They have 3-4 interns, a coordinator, and a manager. It's a small team, but they provide incredible results. However, I recommend assembling a portfolio of sorts...BEO's for events you've planned or contributed too, photos of room set-ups you designed, examples of concepts or themes you've developed...
Hope this helps!
